“The lack of change in discourse since Thatcher’s government, paired with the recent cuts to financial aid, demonstrate how the Conservative government is determined to allow history to repeat itself.”

Thatcher was forced to allow the campaign to go ahead when told the Cabinet was against her objections.

She also attempted to thwart a subsequent campaign involving sending information to every British home.

But she was forced to give way again after her press secretary Bernard Ingham told her: “There is certainly a feeling abroad that the government is doing too little and is not treating the issue with sufficient urgency.”